Musical instrument.



J. M. PUTMAN.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 26, 1911.

Patented A m, 1914 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

J OHN MORGAN PUTMAN, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN MORGAN PUT- MAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Mobile, in the county of Mobile and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to musical instruments of the whistle type, one of its objects being to provide a simple, durable, and compact device of this character which is formed in a single piece and can be cheaply manufactured.

Another object is to provide an instrument which can be easily sounded and by means of which various tones can be played in different keys and it becomes possible to mimic the calls of birds, etc.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter de scribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the instrument and showing the top thereof and one end. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the instrument, the same being shown in position for use. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the instrument in position for use. Fig. 4 is a perspectlve view showing the bottom and one end of the instrument.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, 1 designates a bar formed of wood or any other suitable material and preferably provided with longitudinal edges 2, segmental ends 3 and a fiat bottom surface 4:- Formed within the rounded top surface of the bar is a recess 6 which gradually increases in depth toward its back end, the inner portion of the recess being provided with an upstanding wall 7 preferably perpendicular to the flat bottom surface 4;. As shown particularly in Fig. 2 the bottom of the recess 6 is preferably rounded or curved forwardly and upwardly. The middle por- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 26, 1911.

Patented Apr. 7, 1914. Serial No. 646,142.

tion of the wall 7 is located adjacent the center of the rounded top of bar 1 while the ends of the wall emerge into one of the edges 2. An angular slot 10 is formed in the bottom of the recess 6 close to the center of wall 7 this slot extending downwardly through the flat surface l. Another slot 9 is arranged obliquely within the bar 1 and extends from the lower portion of wall 7 upwardly through the rounded upper surface of the bar. The slots 9 and. 10 are of the same length but the width of slot 9 is much less than that of slot 10.

In using the instrument the bar is placed between the lips and across the mouth, the upper lip 12 resting on the rounded top of the bar and between the wall 7 and the upper end of slot 9 while the lower lip 12 engages the flat 'surface 4 between the front or outer edge 2 and the slot 10. The tongue, indi cated at 17, is pressed against the rear or inner edge 2. Thus it will be seen that the cavity of the mouth is divided by the tongue into upper and lower portions 11 and 16 respectively. The air is forced from the channel 11 through the smaller slot 9 and a portion of it is thus directed into slot 10 and passed into the lower cavity 16. The vibration thus set up will produce the tone desired and it will be apparent that by varying the size of the cavity below the tongue by muscular action, the pitch and quality of the tone can likewise be varied.

It has been found that by means of this instrument a very clear, penetrating and beautiful tone may be produced and that it is possible to play upon the device any music which can be played on other types of wind instruments.

What is claimed is:

1. A musical instrument consisting of a bar having a rounded upper surface formed with a central depression of varying depth and width extending thereinto from one edge, the back wall of the depression being straight from top to bottom and provided with an obliquely disposed slot extending upwardly and backwardly from the lower portion of the wall through the rounded top of the bar, there being another slot extending through the bar from the bottom of the recess and registering with the first named slot.

2. A musical instrument including a bar having a rounded top surface provided with a central depression gradually diminishing in width and increasing in depth from one edge of the bar toward the center of the bar, there being an obliquely disposed slot within the middle portion of the wall of the depression and extending upwardly and rearwardly through the rounded top surface of the bar, and there being another slot extending through the bar from the center of the back portion of the depression, the two slots registering and the obliquely disposed slot being of less width than the bottom slot,

3. A musical instrument consisting of a bar having a rounded upper surface formed with a central depression of varying depth and width extending thereinto from one edge, the back wall of the depression being straight from top to bottom and provided with an obliquely disposed slot extending upwardly and backwardly from the lower portion of the wall through the rounded top of the bar, there being another slot extending through the bar from the bottom of the recess and registering with the first named slot, both slots registering, said bar having rounded front and back edges, the back edges constituting a bearing for the tongue of the user whereby the interior of the mouth is divided into upper and lower cavities opening into the respective slots, that portion of the rounded upper surface between the rear edge and the upwardly extending slot constituting a bearing for the upper lip of the user and that portion of the bottom surface of the bar between the bottom slot and the front edge of the bar constituting a bearing for the lower lip of the user.

JOHN MORGAN PUTMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

